Brief Summary
The hosts of the "Pokemon Gotta Watch Them All" podcast review the movie "Pokemon I Choose You," discussing its nostalgic value, animation, and story. They debate its placement in their ranking of Pokemon movies, highlighting favorite scenes, characters, and musical score. The hosts also discuss the film's themes, its connection to the broader Pokemon lore, and its impact on their personal experiences with the franchise.
- Nostalgic value and emotional impact of the movie.
- Animation quality and updated character designs.
- Story elements, including the retelling of Ash's origins and the introduction of new characters.
Intro
The hosts introduce the movie "Pokemon I Choose You," a reboot that revisits Ash's beginnings in Pallet Town. They mention that they will share their opinions on the film, with contrasting views expected from some of the hosts.
Dante's Initial Thoughts
Dante expresses mixed feelings about the movie, torn between nostalgic memories and objective assessment. He admits to tearing up multiple times during the film, despite not considering it a masterpiece. Dante appreciates the reboot's approach to incorporating Pokémon from different generations, creating a more expansive world.
Chris's Perspective
Chris highlights the enjoyment of seeing Pokémon from later generations integrated into the Gen 1 setting. He appreciates the callbacks to familiar episodes and finds the film heartwarming. Chris believes this approach makes the Pokémon world feel larger and more real.
Kanai's Appreciation
Kanai expresses strong positive feelings towards the movie, praising the open regions concept and the villain. He appreciates the new companions, Souji and Makoto, finding their motivations more compelling than those of Brock and Misty. Kanai also commends the updated animation and the fast-paced retelling of nostalgic moments from the first season.
John's Critique
John expresses reservations about the movie's retelling of Ash's story, especially since the new characters don't reappear in later series. He compares it to a standalone story that doesn't integrate with the broader narrative. John acknowledges the improved quality of life changes, such as the presence of Pokémon from different regions, but ultimately dislikes the retelling aspect.
Expanded World and Character Motivations
The hosts discuss how the movie presents a world where Pokémon from various regions coexist, unlike the original series where they were confined to specific areas. They also discuss the characters' motivations, noting that the movie focuses more on the journey and less on simply winning badges.
Pikachu's Role and Synopsis Analysis
The hosts discuss Pikachu's expressive role in the movie and analyze the synopsis from the Pokémon website, noting inaccuracies and mixing of anime and movie elements. They point out that the synopsis incorrectly includes Misty, who is replaced by Makoto in the movie.
Retelling and Team Composition
The hosts discuss how the movie retells Ash's origin story, condensing the first few episodes of the anime. They note that Ash's team is significantly reduced, with only Caterpie and Charmander joining him initially. The decision to focus on Butterfree is attributed to its role in a poignant goodbye scene.
Series Potential and Personal Preferences
The hosts discuss the potential for a series of rebooted movies, suggesting that it could explore Ash's journey through different regions with new characters. They also touch on personal preferences, with one host expressing a dislike for retellings and another appreciating the updated animation and story.
Company Execution and Music
The hosts discuss the Pokémon Company's execution of the movie and its follow-up, expressing disappointment that the events in the movie don't affect subsequent films. They praise the music in the movie, noting its emulation of sound qualities from the games.
Movie's Beginning and Cynthia
The hosts discuss the beginning of the movie, which recounts Ash meeting Pikachu. They also discuss a scene where Ash is talking to his mom, and a character appears in the background who resembles Cynthia, a champion from the Pokémon games.
Entei's Appearance and Nurse Joy
The hosts discuss the appearance of Entei at the Pokémon Center and the reaction of Nurse Joy. They debate whether Nurse Joy's reaction should have been more animated, with some arguing that her calm demeanor reflects the integration of legendary Pokémon into the world.
Legendary Pokémon and Raikou
The hosts discuss the appearance of Raikou during a storm and lament its lack of prominence compared to Entei and Suicune. They suggest that Raikou should have been featured more prominently, given its cool design and potential for a compelling storyline.
Entei's Power and Verity's Line
The hosts discuss Entei's display of power and his interactions with the characters. They also discuss a line spoken by Verity, which they find suggestive and out of place in a children's movie.
Charmander's Abandonment and Communication with Pokémon
The hosts discuss the scene where Ash and his companions find Charmander abandoned in the rain. They also discuss a moment where Ash seems to communicate with Onix, suggesting a deeper connection between humans and Pokémon.
Pikachu's Dialogue and Alternate Reality
The hosts discuss Pikachu's brief dialogue, which some viewers found controversial. They also discuss the alternate reality sequence, where Ash experiences a world without Pokémon.
Opening Battle and Charmander's Arc
The hosts discuss the opening battle scene and the beginning of Charmander's story arc. They also discuss the mythical Pokémon Marshadow and its role in the movie.
Charmander's Story and Charizard's Popularity
The hosts discuss the updated version of Charmander's story and Charizard's oversaturation in the franchise. They also discuss the character Cross, who abandons Charmander, and his resemblance to Paul from the anime series.
Cross's Character and Cave Scene
The hosts discuss Cross's character and his interactions with Ash. They also discuss a scene in a cave where the characters are chatting casually before Entei appears.
Pokémon Not in Poké Balls and Ho-Oh's Lore
The hosts discuss a scene where some Pokémon choose not to enter their Poké Balls. They also discuss the lore of Ho-Oh and the three legendary dogs.
Marshadow's Role and Ash's Dark Thoughts
The hosts discuss Marshadow's role in the movie and Ash's dark thoughts about his Pokémon. They also discuss the rainbow wing and its connection to the wielder's heart.
Luxury's Death and Manga Influence
The hosts discuss the story of Souji's Luxray, which died protecting him, and its possible inspiration from a similar event in the Pokémon manga. They also discuss the movie's overall tone, noting its blend of hopeful and dark elements.
Primate Battle and Butterfree's Departure
The hosts discuss the primate battle and Butterfree's departure. They also discuss the meaning of Butterfree's departure, with some interpreting it as a sign that Butterfree didn't bond with Ash enough.
Bonji and Old Man Red
The hosts discuss the character Bonji, who is voiced by the narrator of the Pokémon anime. They also discuss the connection between Bonji and Old Man Red, a character from the Pokémon games.
Charizard vs. Incineroar and Marshadow's Interference
The hosts discuss the battle between Charizard and Incineroar and Marshadow's interference. They also discuss the tainted feather and its impact on the characters.
Marshadow's Intentions and Charizard's Loyalty
The hosts debate Marshadow's intentions and whether it was acting as a villain or simply testing the characters. They also discuss Charizard's loyalty to Ash and its role in protecting him.
Ash's Disappearance and Ho-Oh's Resurrection
The hosts discuss Ash's disappearance and Ho-Oh's resurrection. They also discuss the alternate reality and the visions of Pikachu.
Final Battle and Open Ending
The hosts discuss the final battle between Ash and Ho-Oh and the open ending. They debate whether the open ending was a good choice, with some arguing that it left too much to the imagination.
Ending Scenes and Future Snippets
The hosts discuss the ending scenes and the future snippets of other Pokémon movies. They also discuss the credits and the appearance of Ash's companions from previous series.
Team Rocket and Manga Influence
The hosts discuss Team Rocket's role in the movie and the influence of the Pokémon manga on the film. They note that the movie took a lot of concepts from the manga and brought them over.
Ranking the Movie
The hosts rank "I Choose You" among the other Pokémon movies they've reviewed. Kanai places it at number two, while the others settle on number five. They discuss the movie's strengths and weaknesses, comparing it to other films in the franchise.
Movie Ratings and Anniversary
The hosts discuss the movie's ratings on various websites and note that it came out during the 20th anniversary of Pokémon. They also discuss the reasons why the movie may have received low ratings from some critics.
Upcoming Movies and Poll Challenge
The hosts announce the upcoming movies they will be reviewing and introduce the Pokémon poll challenge. They reveal their picks for the challenge, which include Squirtle, Sandshrew, Vaporeon, Incineroar, and Darkrai.
